I hate "going to the beach" cozying up with a good book on the beach is one of the last things i'd ever want to do. I'd rather read in my house not while baking out in the sun. And forced chit chat is nauseating to me. I love going surfing, fishing, going up to check out the stars, hooking up with chicks late night, pissing on it at night after chugging beers, getting paid to work on it in a few different jobs, catching a sunrise, looking at passing ships at night, playing jedis with the wooden dune fences as a kid, chatting about the surf with old heads at the dunes then leaving.... I actually hate the idea of "the beach" it brings out the worst fake happy within people....makes me miserable.
As far as sitting on the beach, I can't do it very long, if there are waves I surf, if not I walk away with my head down.
I love surfing the inlet (ocmd) in the summer. Hot chicks, Latinos cooking full dinners on beach, smell of thrashers French fries......
I love the water... hate the beach. Once it warms up, I swim every day there's no waves. And if the water's clear, I'll spearfish. Every day. I habitually "check the surf" every day, too... all year long, dead of winter included. Even though I know there's no waves, I'll still go down and see what it looks like.... doing my propre sande reconne. In the fall and spring I'll walk the beach with a rod and tackle bag... again, almost a daily thing if there's no waves. As for just sitting on the beach... not for me. Sometimes in the summer my wife will drag me down there for an hour or two, and I do it for her. But I get bored fast.
I can't sit still very long, my wife laughs at me when we are at the beach and it's flat. I pace back and forth and am stir crazy, not knowing what to do with myself as I stare at the water waiting for a rideable wave to appear. I will see a line of white water a half mile down the beach and will walk to go check it out, only to find it's flat there too. Then I walk back staring at the ocean in disappointment but with the unrealistic hope that another wave will appear and give me a reason to paddle out. Once I accept that I'm not going to be able to surf then it's almost time to go, I start slowly putting things away till she says, "you're ready to go aren't you?"
My beach is where the Caribbean meets the hood. Geographically the eastern most spot in Florida, closest to the Gulfstream. Over the decades, things change, and things remain the same. Still the edge where land meets sea meets sky. Turtles come up and lay eggs at night and they hatch in the pre dawn twighlight. There used to be a mother ship 3 miles offshore inthe 70s, so other things would wash up the beach. We still get a few odd bales, a few Haitians, a few of this and that. Fast boats, sail boats, tankers, dingys, dive boats, open fishermen, kayaks, jet skiis all come in and out the inlet day and night, ocasionally a cruise ship all lit up with the steel drums playing on the poop deck. I've picked up lots of chick, lots of trash, lots of trashy chicks on those dunes. Used to have an extra pair of fins and a extra mask and snorkel, ya never know when its a good time to go diving. I remember as a kid we used to have bottle rocket wars with the Cuban kids during 4th of July in the sand dunes and seagrape trees, their families came up from Miami every year. Now they come up with their kids and grandkids and stay at the Marriott timeshare. The sand comes, the sand goes, the waves come the waves go. The condos they keep building. Nowdays my wife and I have a lifetime membership in a cabana club, two chairs and an umbrella set up when we or our friends get there. Or a cabana to block the wind. With a little wooden table to set our drinks on. The water is still the best in the state, people come from all over the world to dive under the Blue Heron Bridge. Just got a perfect surf session there with my buddy and no one else in clear turquiose goodness. I love the beach.
My feelings on the beach have changed over time. In my teens and twenties I couldn't stand sitting on the beach, too hot, bored, anxious, etc. If there were waves, any waves, I'd be in it but if it was flat I'd rather be anywhere else. Now I have a couple of kids and I'm leading the charge to the beach. I get to build sand castles, dig for sand crabs, looks for shells and beach glass. I get to teach my pool dwelling kids to respect the power of the ocean and waves. I also get to take videos of them getting crushed by waves which is fuxcin hilarious!
What a great description, sounds like something out of a Jimmy Buffett tune. Always thought I'd retire to a place like this, but chalk it up to just another sacrifice for wife and family. This is the antithesis of FL. Driftwood and huge logs for miles. No beach homes, condos or stores. Dirt parking lot with water-filled potholes was finally paved 2 years ago. Craggy pines and old evergreens line the cliffs. Black sand. Cold water, year round. And rain. The wife and I can't get enough of it. We usually walk 3-5 miles a day, 3-4 days a week at the beach. Littered with perfect sand dollars, razor clam shells and Dungeness crab in various stages of demise. Typical clothing is a hoodie and sweat pants, which become shorts in summer. The surf is not perfect, but usually serviceable and occasionally excellent. We can sit on the jetty or harbor for hours watching the surf, and see harbor seals and sea lions daily. During spring and summer, whales breaching outside becomes more common. I guess I'm pretty dang happy in my soggy corner of the world.
Thanks. I'll probably sell it this summer and get something more "civilized." It rides like a fVcking bucking Bronco... I love the beach. During the summer I'll get up early and stake my claim: two umbrellas a beach mat and 4 beach chairs. My little condo is 50 yards from the beach, and I've been doing this long enough that the process takes 5 minutes.. I'll have a cup of coffee, then go back and grab a boart. Surf a bit, go grab the cooler, some tunes and a couple of body boarts, then I'm pretty much their until nightfall. I've left my stuff, boarts included out there for hours while I've ran errands, walked the beach, started dinner, whatever... with nothing being touched. There are a group of us old beach farts and surfers that watch out for eachother.
Lol! My line is, "How much longer do you want to stay?" And I get what you're saying about staring at the water looking for a rideable wave.... hoping "something might pop up as the tide... (fill in the blank)." And if you actually see a wave that looks rideable, you grab your board, paddle out... and sit for a half hour. Then paddle back in.
sissurfdog and KR well said barry -brazzo cut bikinis are fantastic as usual bubs is fkn retarded, the best times of my life were at the beach with fam and friends, sorry yours weren't. fkn weirdo headhi, I love love love crushing lighter or mexi beers in the sun although I dont do it as much now, passing out at 7pm....mmmmmm mmmmmmmm its the wife's favorite!! wait, no....thats my favorite. she hates that, haha. kids can run around free reign and meet other kids without having to be introduced, you can literally sit on your @ss like its a thing thing to do. fantastic. waves and ocean are a time sponge for kids and adults alike, very engaging, challenging, rewarding etc honestly, the whole crowded scene sucks, but just some people spread out and enjoying the sun shine and relaxing in underwear is a great overall way to cruise thorough life.
I like bikinis too, you just don't many of them this time of year on the beach haha. Hopefully we get a couple nice 75-80 degree days in a couple weeks. It will bring out a few. There's a lot in Belmar come the warm April days and into May. I usually take a spin on my bike and check them out when that time comes.
Dude if I lived in da Islands I'd probably never get anything done. Except getting trashed and going surfing
